Disclaimer: FMA is not owned by me.

Homunculi.

The one word could make shivers go down your back. It could make you laugh in disbelief. It could make unwanted memories to creep back into your mind. It could ruin you forever. Or, it could just be another word that you just don't care about.

But for Edward Elric… he felt like it had ruined him forever.

Xxx

The young man squeezed the remaining water out of his hair and slowly started tying it back into his long braid. His breath came in painful gasps and he now wished he had bandaged his stomach better. His head was still pounding as he started to rerap the bandage around his forehead, covering the deep cut. His hair had been covered in blood; his own blood. He had washed it out in this little amount of time he had.

Right now, he was hiding from the Homunculi.

Things had not gone as planned. Alphonse was captured by the Homunculi, currently incapable of walking, as Gluttony had feasted on him earlier. Edward had gone in to protect him… but it had all gone wrong. Envy had easily beat him in combat and had wounded him greatly during the process.

Edward slowly stood up and wiped the sweat and remaining blood from his brow. He would do this. Roy Mustang would defeat the Fuhrer King Bradely, who was a Homunculi. All Homunculi would be gone.

That was their plan.

But now, Edward wasn't so sure of himself.

As he ran towards the Homunculi, he created his long sword out of his automail arm. Envy grinned as he saw him running towards him, and easily sidestepped Edward's punch.

Edward quickly aimed for Envy's head, and missing it, he brought his leg up and also aimed it for his head, which he missed also. He cursed. His vision was getting blurry. He had a hard time seeing where Envy was going to hit. He could barely defend himself. He felt Envy's foot make contact with his right cheek, sending him sprawling across the floor.

Edward groaned and tried to get up, but his shaky elbows wouldn't allow it.

Envy kneeled down to Edward's level and gave a lazy grin. "You worn out already, Chibi-san?"

Edward tried to growl at him, but all he could really do was glare at him. He tried to focus on him, but his vision… black dots slowly appeared before his eyes. Biting his lip, he tried to fight going unconcious. He couldn't afford that.

"Brother!" he heard Alphonse call.

Alphonse gazed worriedly at the fallen form twenty feet in front of him. He wanted to walk over, but he couldn't. Even reaching out wouldn't help. He turned back to Dante, who held a baby in her hands.

She grinned and held the baby up. "Look, Edward Elric! Watch your younger brother be taken by the gate!"

Edward jerked towards her as quickly as he could, trying to ignore the pain. He gained control of his voice. "No! Stop! Alphonse!"

Alphonse slowly watched the transmuation circle on the baby begin to glow, and he watched a gate appear in front of him. "Brother…" he whispered in fear. The gate creaked as it opened, long black arms coming out. Alphonse saw them wrap around him tightly, and he was pulled in, screaming his brothers name.

The next time he woke up he was in a bed… and had his body back.

Xxx

"I don't know how I got my body back!" Alphonse said in a strained voice. He leaned back against his pillows. "I only remember going through the gate. I don't remember what happened afterwards."

"Al…" Winry Rockbell sighed. She sat on the bed and ruffled his hair. "At least you're safe."

"But Brother isn't!" he replied definitely.

"We'll find him," she said in a determined voice, but her voice still wavered. "We have to."

Colonel Mustang, who was lying in the next hospital bed next to Alphonse, crossed his arms. "Can you tell us what happened before you were taken through the gate?"

Alphonse gazed painfully at the Colonel, who had been rescued by Riza Hawkeye. He had defeated King Bradely, but he had lost an eye in the process. Alphonse could tell the Colonel was still in pain, but having Edward not there with them to celebrate caused the both of them to worry. He began to speak slowly. "I had gotten captured. Gluttony had eaten away my legs, so I couldn't move. Ed had come to rescue me. He and Envy fought for awhile, and eventually Ed had to retreat. My brother came back later, having taken care of the wounds he had received. Envy finally knocked him to the ground and I saw my brother couldn't really move any more. He was exhausted." His voice becamed tight. "I heard his screams as I passed through the gate. I don't know what they did to him. I just don't know," his voice ended in a pained whisper. He crossed his arms and shuddered a little.

Winry placed her arms around Alphonse and looked at Roy. "Will they look for him?"

Roy nodded. "They've already started."

Alphonse jumped out of the bed, ignoring Winry's protest. "I got my body back," he said definitely. "And I am healthy enough to help search for my brother."

Winry grabbed hold of his arm. "You can't! You had been asleep for a very long time."

Alphonse stopped in mid stride. "What?"

"When… when we found you," Winry's lip quivered. "You're body was skinny… so, so skinny. Your hair was past your shoulders, which we cut for you. But you've been asleep for more than a week. We've been trying to get enough nutrition in you. And you are not ready to go. Look at you," she whispered.

Alphonse gulped, then finally nodded. It was true; his body was frail and weak. He could walk, but not for very long. He turned back to Winry, tears threatening to fall. "But I want to see my brother."

He watched the tears pour down Winry's cheeks. "I know," she whispered. "I do, too."

"As do we all," Roy declared. He crossed his arms, feeling like making a sarcastic remark after that, but knowing that it wasn't the right time. "We'll find him. Alphonse, stay here. Ms. Rockbell will watch over you." He threw off the bedcovers and stood up slowly. "Leutenient Hawkeye!"

Riza Hawkeye came in the room in a second. She frowned at the sight of Roy standing up. "Colonel…"

Roy held his chest and motioned for Riza to come over. "I can't rest now," he heaved out, gritting his teeth. "Wounds like these shouldn't stop me."

Riza supported him as he started walking out. She nodded sadly to Alphonse and the crying Winry. She set Roy by the restrooms so he could change into his blue uniform, and headed off to get it. Roy leaned tiredly against the bench. He had been in the hospital for over a week… he didn't like how he was healing so slowly. Especially after the loss of his eye.

"Colonel!" Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc shouted as he ran up. He saluted him, then asked worriedly. "Should you be up?"

Roy shook his head. "No, but there are things to be done. Many, many things. Has the military been convinced yet about the fact of King Bradely being a Homunculi?"

Havoc shook his head. "It's taking awhile, but there is another election for Fuhrer going on. Do you think you should…"

"No," Roy declared in a loud voice. "Not… not yet. Things are still a mess."

"But you can make them better," Havoc said gently. "You'll have more control."

"People are probably already thinking I killed him just for the chance to become Fuhrer," Roy muttered.

"People may be, but most of the Military isn't," Havoc reassured. "Think about it. You have tons of supporters. And with Edward Elric missing, you could have more power to search for him."

Riza walked up to them slilently and handed the blue uniform to Roy. Roy opened the door to the restroom, stopped, and turned around to look at Havoc. "I'll think about it," he said, then closed the door.

A new story… this is only the prologue, so it's sorta short! Anyways, there is NO yaoi pairing. I don't write or read yaoi, and never will. The possible pairings are Edwin and Royai.

This is a story about Roy dealing with becoming Fuhrer, and with Alphonse and Winry, learning how to deal with the new Homunculi that shows up. Idea come from the song 'Memories' by Ayumi Hamasaki and Bluebirds Illusion, which I haven't exactly played… but have read enough to know what happens ;)

Please review!